The Golden Truth: What Type of Gold Doesn’t Tarnish?

Introduction

Not all gold jewelry will remain shiny forever. Some pieces will tarnish and turn green or black or lose their sparkle after a few short months. The reason is simple: different types of gold respond differently to air, water, and the oils from our skin. Pure gold itself will never tarnish or change color, but most jewelry has metals other than gold.

This guide will tell you what type of gold doesn’t tarnish and will help you choose jewelry that will maintain its appearance for years.

The Science of Tarnish: Why Gold Sometimes Changes Color

Tarnish occurs when metals react with oxygen and sulfur in the air. Tarnish is similar to rust on iron, but not the same. Pure gold is a special case because it is “noble metal” – it will not react with either air or water. That is why coins made of gold buried underground for hundreds of years still look just as they did when buried.

The difficulty lies in the fact that we make gold stronger by combining it with other metals called alloys. Alloys are what leads to tarnished gold jewelry once the metal reacts to air, water, sweat, or chemicals.

Common Types of Tarnish

Scratches

Scratches are not a chemical change but they can make gold look old and dull. When jewelry is scratched, it can lose its mirrored shine. Light will bounce off the scratched surface differently – which can make real gold look like cheap metal. And the reason why it happens is the hardness of the gold.

Turning Black or Green

When gold-plated jewelry has a silver or brass base underneath, those metals interact with the air and our skin’s oils. This is because the thin gold plating can’t protect the base metal forever.

Green marks on the skin can come from copper in the base metal. The black tarnish usually comes from the silver reacting with sulfur in the air. Both of these problems will happen faster in humid areas or when you sweat a lot.

The Golden Spectrum: Understanding Karats

The karat system indicates how much pure gold is in your jewelry. As the number gets larger, the gold content increases, as does the resistance to tarnishing.

There is a straightforward principle: the lower the karat number, the more gold is mixed with other metals. When you have jewelry that is made of more than 50% other metals (for example 10k gold), the other non-gold metals will eventually tarnish.

What Gold Jewelry Doesn’t Tarnish Easily?

Solid Gold 14K & Above

Solid 14k gold is 58.3% of pure gold, which is an sufficient barrier against tarnishing. The other metals are protected by the gold, and with daily wear and proper care, this jewelry can potentially last for decades looking new.

18k gold is even better, since it is 75% gold. Having more gold and fewer reactive metals is also better. This is why many luxury brands use 18k gold in their pieces as a standard.

Gold-Filled

Gold-filled jewelry has an actual layer of gold that is attached to a base metal. Under law, gold-filled jewelry must contain at least 5% gold of the total weight. Because of this, even regular gold plating simply can’t be as thick as gold-filled jewelry.

The gold layer in gold filled jewelry is about 100 times thicker than regular gold plating. This means that it would almost be impossible for the base metal to show through, even after many years of wear.

PVD Gold Plated Jewelry

PVD is Physical Vapor Deposition which utilizes a unique method to create a very strong bond between gold and the base metal. The coating of gold is applied in a vacuum chamber that introduces electrical fields.

OOTB use PVD coating for jewelry, because it creates jewelry that has the same looks of a solid gold piece at a much lower cost. Our PVD gold plated jewelry is typically lasting over 2 years with day to day use, which is significant longer than standard gold plating.

Which Gold-Plated Base Metal Jewelry Does Not Tarnish?

A base metal of stainless steel is the best for jewelry that is gold plated. Here is why:

• It will never rust or corrode – stainless steel is engineered to withstand all metal reactions
• It can act as a barrier – keeping your skin protected from possible reactions with the metal
• It’s an extremely strong base metal – it will NEVER bend or break like cheaper metals

When stainless steel is coupled with PVD gold plating, you have gold jewelry that will look like much more expensive jewelry, and will never tarnish, even in swimming pools, or showers.  You are left with true non tarnish gold jewelry at a much lower price point.

Check out the lifespan of gold-plated jewelry, and learn more.

The Most Common Offenders (and How to Protect Them)

Many people tend to buy 10k and 14k gold instead of higher karat gold because these options are usually cheaper than the higher karat gold. These lower karat gold options will oxidise and tarnish more than higher karat gold because they contain more reactive metals.

Here are ways to protect lower karat gold:

• Take off jewelry before jumping in the pool or hot tub- chlorine destroys gold plating quickly
• Take off jewelry before taking a shower, soap and shampoo contain harsh chemicals
• Store in dry sealed containers- the air and moisture will create tarnishing
• Clean with soft cloth only- harsh cleaners will damage protective coatings
• Put on perfumes and lotions first (let dry before putting on jewelry)
• Don’t sleep in your jewelry- sweat and movement will create wear

Following these simple steps will keep their jewelry looking brand new 3-4 times longer than individuals that do not.

Conclusion

Pure gold does not tarnish, but most jewelry has other metals within the composition that will tarnish over time. The higher the karat the less the chance of tarnishing. For best performance and cost, buy 14k gold, gold filled, or PVD gold plated jewelry on stainless steel.

OOTB carries well made gold-plated jewelry that will last more than 2 years at a competitive price, while getting you the gold look without the expense of the pure metal.

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